Overhead trolley system and fitting therefor



J uly7, 1942.- s, MATTHES 2,288,726

OVERHEAD TROLLEY SYSTEM AND FITTINGS THEREFOR Filed June 18, 1941 3nventor SAMUEL '5'. Mama's attdrneg Patented July 7, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OVERHEAD TROLLEY SYSTEM AND FITTING THEREFOR;

Samuel S. Matthes, Mansfield, Ghio, assignor to The Ohio Brass Company, Mansfield,- Ohio, a corporation of New Jersey Application June 18, 1941, Serial No. 398,648

Claims My invention relates to overhead trolley systems and fittings therefor.

One object of myinventionis to provide a system of simplified construction, relatively. low cost of installation, and improved appearance.

Another object of. my invention; is toprovide hangers for supporting either one or moretrolley wires and which hangers are of simple construction, relatively low cost of manufacture and of pleasing appearance.

Another object of my invention is to provide a supporting device for one or more trolley wires which may be attached to either the ordinary galvanized cross span or to an insulated feeder cable which may be used to directly feed, at least,

Fig. 1 is a general View of my invention as.

attached to a span wire and supporting two pair of trolley wires as often used in trolley coach operation.

Fig. 2 is a vertical plan View. of my invention for two trolley wires as applied to an insulated cable employed as 'a feeder span or support and arranged to energize one trolley wire through a, jumper or flexible. connection and, also, including means to adjustthe spacing of the trolley wires in predetermined relation to the span wire.

Fig. 3 is a vertical plan View of my invention arranged to support a pair of trolley wires; one trolleywire being directly electrically connected to the conductor of the feeder span.

Figure 4 is a vertical plan view of my invention similar to Fig, 3 but having means to adjust one end of the hanger with relation to the feeder spanand to which means one trolley wire may be attached and energized directly from thefeeder span.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 55of Fig. 2 of the suspension fitting from which the trolley wire may be suspended and, also, shows a trolley car of well known design attached to the suspension fitting and supporting a trolley wire. L

Fig. 6 is a.trans,verse sectional view on the line 6-6 ofFig. 2 showing one form of end fit-.

ting which is shown as clampirigthe feeder span outside the insulation thereof.'

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view on the line l--1 ofFig. 2 showing another form of suspension fitting arranged to permit adjusting the spacing between the trolley wire and the feeder span and,

shown clamping the insulation of the 'feeder span. The usual method. of suspending one or more trolley wires for an overhead system is to employ a bare galvanized span wire and a suitable insulated'hanger, one for each trolle wire, attached thereto below the span-wire and to which the trolley wire is attached by means of a trolley ear or clamp.

The span wire invariably sags due to the weight of the hangers and trolley wire or wires. This sagging is not desirable but is not avoidable except at a considerable expense'and danger to the overhead systemand when a pair of trolley wires are suspended therefrom by individual hangers, one trolley wire will be higher than the companion wire, and usually the axis of the hanger is substantially normal to the sagging span wire,thus giving a very unsightly overhead construction and one which is more likely to cause dewirement of the current collectors than when the trolley wires are supported in a horizontal plane,

. My invention permits of supporting. one or more trolley wires from asaggingspan wire and o'fadjusting the hangers relative to thespan wire in order to bring the trolley wires into a common horizontal plane.

' When'it is desired to feed'a trolleywire, the arrangement up to now has been the use of indi-' vidual insulated hangers, one for each trolley wire, suspended from a bare span wire as described above'and'to runa separate insulated feeder cable along the span wire and connect to the trolley wire to be energized.

To improve upon the above feeder scheme, my

invention is' arranged to utilizean insulated cable in'place of the'bare span wire whereby I electri-' cally connect, at least, oneof the trolley wires to the conductor of the feeder span or cross cable which has its conductor connected to asource of current.

In the various disclosures I have made in the views accompanying this specification; I have used like numerals to designate like parts therein; In Fig. l I show a generalarrangementof-my invention as appliedto a-single'span wire or-to a single feeder wire as my invention is applicable to the ordinary span wire construction, or to the feeder span as above described in which I represents the side poles and 2 the span wire or feeder span secured to the poles i by the fittings 3.

Suspended below the sagging span 2 are two of my improved hangers 4, shown in proper spaced relation to the span wire and the trolley wires 6 held in a horizontal plane, The arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is for trolley coach operation in which one pair of trolley wires 5-6 is used by the coaches traveling in one direction and the pair of trolley wires 5'--6 is used by the coaches traveling in the opposite direction.

In Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of one of my improved hangers shown in Fig. 1 and as applied to an insulated cross span or feeder cable 1 comprising the conductor 8 and the insulation 9 (see Fig. 6). The cable is connected to a feeder cable which in turn is connected to a source of power as by the connection l0.

As shown in Fig. 2 my improved hanger comprises an elongated member H preferably of treated wood since such material has proved an excellent electrical insulator. To each end of the member is secured an end fitting or member l2 having a projecting tongue IS.

The member II is suspended from the span 1 by means of fittings I4 and 5. In order to align the member H and trolley wires supported thereby relative to the span 1, I make, at least, the one fitting adjustable longitudinally whereby the spacing of one end of the member Il may be varied to bring the trolley wires into a hori zontal plane. As shown in Fig. 2, the fitting I4 is non-adjustable, while the fitting I5 is adjustable.

In order to attach the trolley wires to the hanger, I employ a clamp type of fittings |6-| 6' which are each provided with threaded means I! to which a trolley ear or clamp of desired construction is attached. In Fig. 5 I have shown an ear I8 arranged with a feeder boss l9 to receive a jumper or connection 20 which may be connected to the feeder span conductor 8 (see Fig. 2). This will effect an energization of the trolley wire attached to the fitting Hi. If desired, the jumper 20 may be attached directly to the fitting [6 as, for instance, by means of one of the bolts 2|.

The arrangement just described supports two trolley wires of opposite polarity in insulated and spaced relation and in a horizontal plane,

' or any other plane if emergency should so require. If desired, the trolley wire suspended from the fitting l6 may be energized in place of the trolley wire suspended from the fitting Hi.

If the trolley wire suspended from the fitting I6 is energized from one feeder span, then the trolley wire suspended from the fitting l6 may be energized from some other feeder span which would be connected to the opposite pole or some other source of supply. If it is desired at any span support not to energize either trolley wire from that span then the jumper 20 would be omitted.

If desired, the fitting l4 may have substituted therefor an adjustable type of fitting, thus giving vertical adjustment to both ends of the member 20; this, however, I find is unnecessary and merely adds somewhat to the cost of the hanger as a whole.

My invention shown in Fig. 3 covers the principal points of construction described with respect to Fig. 2. The fitting 22 is similar to fitting H! (see Fig. 6) except the lower end is provided with an integrally formed threaded stud 23 below the head of the bolt 24 and to which a threaded ear, such as shown in Fig. 5-, or to which a clamp, may be attached to suspend the trolley wire and the upper end of the fitting clamped onto the conductor of the feeder span 1. Such arrangement permits the trolley wire supported by the fitting 22 to be energized directly from the span conductor 8 to which the fitting 22 is directly attached.

This arrangement of Fig. 3 provides for only one trolley wire to be suspended from the member H by the fitting l6 and avoids the use of a jumper as in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 4 is shown a construction similar in many respects to Figs. 2 and 3 but in this arrangement one trolley wire is suspended from the adjustable fitting 25 which is the same as fitting |5 (Fig. 7) except for the addition of the threaded stud 26 to which a trolley ear or clamp may be attached and energized directly from the conductor of the feeder span to which the fitting is directly attached.

In Fig. 5 is shown a section of the fitting l6 and i6 comprising a lower clamping member 30 having a cup-shaped projection 3i with an opening through which projects the threaded and headed stud I7. The head of the stud is provided with a notch which is engaged by a lug or fin 32 on the portion 3| thereby permitting the stud to move longitudinally but preventing the rotation thereof relative to the part 3|.

Further, the fitting shown in Fig. 5 is provided with a heavy spring 33 which is compressed when the ear I3 is placed in position thereby holding the ear in tight engagement with the part 3| even though the spring is not compressed to its limit thus permitting alignment of the ear with respect to the span.

The fitting shown in Fig. 5 is held in place on the member I l by means of the clamping piece 34 and bolts 2|. The longitudinal axis of the stud intersects the longitudinal axis of the member II and, also, of the feeder span thus the load upon the hanger is distributed uniformly with respect to the hanger and span which would not be the case if the longitudinal axis of the stud I! was off set laterally with respect to the axis of the member H.

In Fig. 6 is shown the cross section of Fig. 14 which comprises a pair of clamping members 35 and 36 provided with cooperating grooves to receive the span 1, shown as gripping the same outside the insulation 9 and held in clamping relation thereto by the bolt 37.

The members 35 and 36 interlock at their lower ends as at 38. The member 35 has a threaded opening at the lower end which receives the threaded bolt 24. Positioned between the bolt head 39 and the clamp 35 is the tongue l3 of the end fitting I2. The spring lock washer 40 may be used or omitted.

The member 22 is constructed according to Fig. 6 except for the addition below the head 39 of the threaded stud 23 to receive a trolley wire ear or clamp and the clamping members 35 and 36 being so grooved as to grip the conductor of the feeder span in place of the insulation thereof.

In Fig. '7 is shown a modification of the fittin shown in Fig. 6 arranged to adjust the spacing between the member II and the span as already pointed out hereinabove, the difference being in the stud portion. Here the threaded portion of the stud 4| is made longer than the stud 34 (Fig.

6). The .studisprovided withalock nut;.;42tin; order to lock .the stud: against rotation. afterthel spacing between: the member ll andithe. spanl has been adjusted; the spring loclewasher 40: may be used ifjde-sired. The stud is further providedwith a lockinut43j to hold the. tongue. [31 in position; the lock washer. 42 may be employed: if desired.

Thearrangement shown in Fig. 7 permitsthe. spacing of thetongue l3 tobeadjusted relative to the span 1 by adjustin the stud 4l.;upwardly, or downwardly with respect ;:to thememberi35.

The fitting (Fig. 4): differs from Figfll only' inthe addition of the lowerprojecting threaded portion 26 to holda trolley wireear or :clamp; and the groove in the clampinglmembers:e1and. 3B is of such size as to grip the conductor oflthe. feeder span. Vertical. adjustment gofxthe end member I3. is. permitted the. samenas'withl the: construction shown in Fig. 7

Thefittings l4, [5,. tached to their respeotiveen-d fitting and-there fore movement of the member llfillithegdll'efia tion of its longitudinal axisis prevented.

It will be understood by those skilled in the. art that the threaded studs. ll, 23:and.26l are. to be provided with a trolleytwire clamp .01" ear as. shown. in Fig. 5 and of which there are many stylesand types on the market.

If desired, my invention maybe used to sus pend asingle trolley wire from the span by omitting one of the fittings iii; or withrespect to.

pending, of coursaupon the voltage between the different parts. The single trolley wire maybe electrically connected to the conductor of the span if desired by a jumper 2i); There are, a number of modifications of my invention. which may be made and will suggest themselvesto those skilled in the art; therefore,iI wish to be limited only by my claims.

I claim:

1. An overhead trolley system comprisingin combination a span wire, means to support the span wire, a trolley wire, means to suspend the trolley wire from the span wire comprising a rigid bar of insulating material angularly spaced from" the span wire in a common plane therewith, end members attached to the bar at-each end thereof, holding means attached to each end member and to the span wire, the holding means at that end of the barspaced farthestfrcmthe pan wire provided with a longitudinally movable stud when rotated and means on the movable stud cooperating-with means on the associated end member whereby the said end of the-bar is moved towards or away from the span wire when the said stud is rotated, and means attached to the bar in spaced relation to the end, members and provided with means to receive and support the trolley wire.

2. An overhead trolley systemcomprising" in combination an insulated cross spanwire obliques ly' disposed to the horizontal, means, to. support the. span wire, a pair of trolley wires, means to suspend the trolley wires from the span .wirein acommon horizontal plane comprisinga horizontally. disposed rigid insulatingbar, enelmeme bers attached to the bar at each end thereof, holding means rigidly attached toeach en-dymemher, the holding means also attached to. the span wire, in insulated relation. to the conductor thereof, one holding means being longerthanthegother holdingmeans. to compensate fonthesaginthe a trolley wire.

3. An overhead trolley -systemcomprising: in

combination an insulatedcross span feeder wire theconductor ofwhich is connected toa source of current, means t0.Sl1pp0I'tTth8 span wire; a pair-of trolley wires, meansto suspend the trol-.

ley wires-from the span wirecomprising-a horizontally disposed rigid-insulating-,-bar,- end members secured to the-ends of-the bar in insulate-d.

relation, holding means attached-to each end member,- one holding meansattachedto the, span. wire in insulated relation to the conductor there of and the other holdingmeans attached to the span wire and electrically connected .tothe conductor thereof, the latter holding means provided.

with a clamp or car to receive and holdoneiof. the trolley wires, and means secured .to the.=bar

in spaced relation to the end members. and pro-..

vided with aclamp or ear toreceive. andhold the other trolley wire.

4. An overhead trolley system comprising in combination an insulated cross.span-.feeder wire. the conductor of which is connected to.a source of current, means to support thespan wire,. a pair of trolley wires, means tosuspend. the-trolley wire-s from the span wire comprising a horizontally disposed rigid bar with end members socured to the ends of the bar in insulated relation,

and hold the other trolleywire, one ofthe holding means includingmeans to vary the length of the holding means to permit adjusting. thespacing of the .bar with respect to thespan wire.

5. An overhead trolley system comprising in combination an insulated cross span feeder wire the conductor of which 'is connected to a source of current, means to support the span Wire, a pair of trolley wires, means to suspend the trole ley Wires fromthe span wire comprising a hOIi". zontally disposed rigid bar. with endmembers secured to the ends of the bar in insulated relation, holding means attached to each end member, one holding means attached to. the span wire in insulated relation to the conductor thereof and the other holding means attached to the span wire and electrically connected to the conductor thereof, the latter holding means provided with a clamp or ear to receive-and hold one of the trolley wires, and means secured to the bar in spaced andinsulated relation to the end members and provided with a clamp or ear to receive and hold the other trolley wire, the last said holding means including. means to vary the length of the same whereby the align-. ment of the bar with respect to thespan Wire may be altered.

6. An overhead trolley system comprising, in combination, an, insulated feeder spanwire, means to support the span wi-re,-a pair oftroh span1,:wire andprovided with means to-adjust its length as required to change the spacing {be-' tweenthe insulated bar "and the feeder wire at one ,endgof the bar, a pair of suspension means. attached to thebar in spaced and insulated .relation to the end members and 'to eachother and each provided with means to receive andsholdl ley wires, means to suspend the trolley wires from the span wire comprising a pair of spaced holding means attached to the span wire and depending therefrom, and a rigid bar of insulating material having its ends attached, each to a holding means whereby the bar is maintained in a substantially horizontal position below the span wire and the lower ends of the holding means held in fixed relation, one holding means being longer than the other holding means and having means to adjust its length, the other holding means being non-adjustable and connected to the conductor of the span wire and provided with means to receive supporting means for one trolley wire, and means attached to the rigid bar in spaced and insulated relation to the holding means and provided with means to receive and hold the other trolley wire in position below the bar.

7. A support for a trolley wire comprising in combination a pair of spaced holding means, an elongated bar of insulating material having its ends connected to the holding means to maintain the holding means in spaced and insulated relation, supporting means attached to the bar and provided with means to receive and hold a trolley wire ear or clamp to said supporting means, each holding means provided with means to grip an overhead span wire and at least one holding means including means to adjust the length thereof whereby the spacing between the bar and the span wire may be varied.

8. In combination, a rigid bar with end fittings attached thereto in insulated relation, means attached to the bar in spaced and insulated relation to the end fittings to receive and support a trolley wire clamp, holding means secured to one end fitting and provided with a two part means to attach the holding means to a span wire and hold the bar end in predetermined spaced relation below the span wire, other holding means secured to the other end fitting and provided with a two part means to attach the holding means to the span wire and also provided with means to vary the spacing of the bar end from the span wire in order to maintain the bar in a substantially horizontal position, and other means forming a part of the last said holding means to receive and support a trolley wire ear or clamp.

9. A device to support a pair of trolley wires in spaced and insulated relation comprising in combination an elongated rigid insulating member provided with a fitting at each end, means secured to the bar in spaced and insulated relation tothe end fitting to support a trolley wire clamp or ear, holding means at one end of the bar and secured to the end fitting and provided with means to attach the holding means to a span wire, the said holding means also provided with means to support a trolley wire clamp or ear, other holding means secured to the other end fitting and provided with means to attach the holding means to the span wire, the said holding means provided with means to vary the distance between one end of the bar and the span wire.

10. A device to suspend a pair of trolley wires from an insulated feeder cable comprising in combination a rigid bar with end fittings a tached thereto in insulated relation, means attached to the bar intermediate its ends to support a trolley wire clamp or ear in spaced and insulated relation to the fittings, holding means rigidly attached to each end fitting and projecting at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the bar, one holding means provided with clamping means to grip the insulation of the feeder cable out of contact with the cable conductor, the other holding means provided with clamping means to grip the conductor of the cable, and means on the last said holding means to receive and support a trolley wire clamp or ear whereby the trolley wire supported thereby will be electrically connected to the conductor of the feeder cable.

11. A support for a trolley wire comprising in combination an elongated rigid bar, a fitting attached to the bar intermediate the ends of the bar and provided with means to support a trolley wire clamp or ear, rigid holding means rigidly secured to the ends of the bar in insulated relation to suspend the bar from an overhead support, the said holding means projecting at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the bar whereby the bar will be suspended below the overhead support, one holding means provided with means whereby its longitudinal length may be varied to vary the distance of said end below the overhead support.

12. A device to support a trolley wire from an overhead support comprising in combination an elongated bar of insulating material, a fitting fixed to each end of the bar, means attached to the bar to receive a trolley wire clamp or ear, holding means rigidly attached to each fitting, each holding means provided with means to secure it to the overhead support and projecting substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the bar to suspend the ends of the bar from the overhead support, one holding means comprising a pair of clamping members to grip the overhead support and means attached to one member and longitudinally movable relative thereto and to which one end fitting i attached whereby the end fitting is adjustable relative to the overhead support.

13. A fitting for a trolley wire ear or clamp and forming a part of a trolley wire hanger comprising a pair of separately formed clamping members each provided with means cooperating with the other means to receive and grip an overhead supporting cable, means to drawthe members together to grip the cable, a projecting threaded boss at one end of one member, a threaded stud cooperating with the threaded boss to move longitudinally relative to the members when rotated to either increase or decrease the length of the support, means on one end of the stud to receive and hold a trolley wire ear or clamp, and rotatable means on the stud to engage one end of one clamping member to lock the stud against rotation after the length of the support has been adjusted, integrally formed projecting means on the stud intermediate the ends thereof to receive and support another part of the trolley wire hanger by means of which a second trolley wire may be supported and other rotatable means on the stud to engage the said other part to prevent its longitudinal movement relative to the stud after the length of the fitting has been adjusted.

14. An overhead trolley system comprising in combination an insulated feeder span wire obliquely disposed to the horizontal, the conductor of which is connected to a source of current, means to support the span wire, a trolley wire, means to suspend the trolley wire from the feeder wire comprising an elongated horizontally disposed, rigid bar of insulating material, end members rigidly attached to the bar at each end thereof, holding means rigidly attached to each end member, each holding means provided with means to attach it to the span wire in insulated relation to the conductor thereof and one holding means so constructed and arranged relative to the other holding means and to the span wire that one end of the said rigid bar may be adjustably spaced from the span wire such that the bar is held in a horizontal position, supporting means attached to the insulating bar in spaced and insulated relation to the end members and provided with means to receive and support the trolley wire, the supporting means movably disposed along the bar and provided with means to secure it in fixed position on the bar, and means associated with the span wire conductor and with the said supporting means to electrically connect the last said means to the conductor of the span wire whereby the trolley wire will be electrically connected to the conductor.

15. A device for supporting a trolley wire from an overhead feeder cable comprising in combination, a horizontally disposed rigid bar of insulating material, end members secured to ends of the bar in insulated relation, holding means rigidly attached to each end member and to the feeder cable at spaced points along the cable, one holding means provided with means to attach one end to the cable and means to attach the other end to an ear or clamp to receive and hold the trolley wire, one holding means provided with means to vary its length such that the spacing between one end of the bar and the cable may be altered whereby the bar may be adjusted to its horizontal position, the bar and its rigid connections to the holding means and the rigid connections of the holding means to the cable at spaced points along the cable maintaining the supporting device for the trolley wire in a predetermined position.

SAMUEL S. MAT'II-IES. 

